Patrick Saunders’ spotlight on Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon

What’s up: In the grand Dodgers tradition of Maury Wills and Davey Lopes, Gordon flies around the bases like a high-performance sports car. Through his first 50 games, he stole 30 bases — and was caught just three times. After a sizzling start at the plate, he entered Saturday hitting .288. His .341 on-base percentage is low for a leadoff hitter, but when he reaches first base, watch out.

Background: The Dodgers drafted Gordon in the fourth round in 2008, and he was their No. 1 prospect by 2010. He sprinted out of the big-league blocks, hitting .304 in 56 games in 2011, but he slumped in 2012 (.234) and 2013 (.228). Now, under the tutelage of hitting coach Mark McGwire, and getting bunting instructions from Wills and stealing lessons from Lopes, Gordon has become a more reliable offensive player.

Saunders’ take: Pitching is king again throughout baseball, as home runs have dropped substantially since drug testing began. That has opened the door for players such as Gordon, who is impacting the game with speed and athleticism. I don’t think he’s ever going to become the next Lou Brock or Rickey Henderson — Gordon won’t be that caliber of hitter — but he’s shaping up to be the Dodgers’ secret weapon. In the National League West, the Giants’ pitching staff looks reborn, and their offense is good enough. The Rockies can overwhelm teams at Coors Field, but they struggle on the road. With Gordon, the Dodgers have speed to go with pitching and power. It’s one of the reasons I think the NL West title road goes through Los Angeles.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.